Alastair Cook
| birth_place = Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England | heightft = 6 | heightinch = 2 | batting = Left-hand | bowling = Right-arm off break | role = Opening batsman, England Test and ODI captain | international = true | testdebutdate = 1 March | testdebutyear = 2006 | testdebutagainst = India | testcap = 630 | lasttestdate = 7 September | lasttestyear = 2018 | lasttestagainst = India | odidebutdate = 28 June | odidebutyear = 2006 | odidebutagainst = Sri Lanka | odicap = 196 | lastodidate = 16 December | lastodiyear = 2014 | lastodiagainst = Sri Lanka | odishirt = 26 | club1 = Bedfordshire | year1 = 2002 | club2 = Essex Cricket Board | year2 = 2003 | club3 = Essex | year3 = 2003–present | clubnumber3 = 26 | club4 = MCC | year4 = 2004–2007 | columns = 4 | column1 = Test | matches1 = 161 | runs1 = 12,472 | bat avg1 = 45.35 | 100s/50s1 = 33/57 | top score1 = 294 | deliveries1 = 18 | wickets1 = 1 | bowl avg1 = 7.00 | fivefor1 = 0 | tenfor1 = 0 | best bowling1 = 1/6 | catches/stumpings1 = 175/– | column2 = ODI | matches2 = 92 | runs2 = 3,204 | bat avg2 = 36.40 | 100s/50s2 = 5/19 | top score2 = 137 | deliveries2 = – | wickets2 = – | bowl avg2 = – | fivefor2 = – | tenfor2 = n/a | best bowling2 = – | catches/stumpings2 = 36/– | column3 = FC | matches3 = 289 | runs3 = 22,604 | bat avg3 = 47.38 | 100s/50s3 = 63/107 | top score3 = 294 | deliveries3 = 282 | wickets3 = 7 | bowl avg3 = 30.14 | fivefor3 = 0 | tenfor3 = 0 | best bowling3 = 3/13 | catches/stumpings3 = 306/– | column4 = LA | matches4 = 160 | runs4 = 5,851 | bat avg4 = 39.80 | 100s/50s4 = 12/34 | top score4 = 137 | deliveries4 = 18 | wickets4 = 0 | bowl avg4 = – | fivefor4 = – | tenfor4 = n/a | best bowling4 = – | catches/stumpings4 = 66/– | date = 11 September | year = 2018 | source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/11728.html Cricinfo }} Alastair Nathan Cook, (CBE) (born 25 December 1984) is an English cricketer who plays for Essex County Cricket Club, and formerly for England in all international formats. A former captain of the England Test and One-Day International (ODI) teams, he holds a number of English and international records. He is regarded as one of the greatest batsmen ever to play for England, and is one of the most prolific batsmen of the modern era. Cook is the fifth highest Test run scorer of all time. While touring in the West Indies with the ECB National Academy, Cook was called up to the England national team in India as a last-minute replacement for Marcus Trescothick and debuted with a century. Debuting at 21 years of age, Cook went on to become the youngest Englishman to reach 1,000, 2,000 and 3,000 Test runs, making centuries in his first Test matches against India, Pakistan and the West Indies, and becoming the first Englishman to score seven Test centuries before his 23rd birthday. Despite this prodigious flurry of runs, Cook came under criticism throughout 2008 for a lack of centuries but replied with two in 2009, and 95 against Australia to help seal England's first victory against them at Lord's since 1934, taking seven catches in the series including the final wicket to win the 2009 Ashes series. Early life and education Born in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, Alastair Cook is one of several players with Welsh heritage to play for England; his mother Stephanie, a teacher, is from Swansea, although his father Graham, a high street banker and village cricketer, is English. Cook is a keen musician. By the age of eight, he was a chorister at St Paul's Cathedral while also learning the clarinet. His choral flair led to him being granted a scholarship to Bedford School when he was 14. While being educated in Bedford he also learned to play piano and saxophone. However, music was soon eclipsed when the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) came to play against the Bedford XI. The home side were a man short and drafted the 14 year-old new boy to play; Cook scored a century. Over the next four years he hit 17 centuries and two double-hundreds to total 4,396 runs at an average of 87.90, captaining the cricket team in his final year as well as being president of the music society. He also gained three A-Levels and nine GCSEs in his time there. In his final year at Bedford in 2003 he scored 1,287 runs for the school including two unbeaten double-hundreds, averaging 160.87 to take the school record. After his international success, Cook returned for an Old Boys match at Bedford in 2008, playing for the HM Ultimate XI. In August 2012 Andrew Strauss suddenly retired and Cookie was captain. His 1st test was in India from November. He lost it but England won Tests 2 & 3 and drew the 4th, giving them their 1st series win in India since 1986. In August 2013 he retained the Ashes after winning the 1st 2 Tests easily and England being saved from defeat in the 3d Test by the rain at Old Trafford; so the match was drawn. Test cricket centuries External links * *Alastair Cook's profile page on Wisden Category:English cricketers Category:Cricket captains Category:Cricketers Category:1984 births Category:Living people Category:England Test cricket captains Category:England One Day International cricketers Category:England Twenty20 International cricketers Category:England Test cricketers